The most coveted international engagement in Irish politics derives from the President of the United States annual invitation to Ireland’s Taoiseach, (Prime Minister), to a meeting in the White House to mark St Patrick’s Day. What in Ireland has become a St Patrick’s week of global travel for Irish government ministers, usually results in the Taoiseach having a series of engagements in Washington, including meeting the Friends of Ireland in Congress, much wining and dining and events in Boston or New York. Irish ministers are dispersed to other states to participate in the March St Patricks Day festivities and engage with America’s Irish diaspora.

The Irish government perceives St Patricks Day global celebrations as a unique opportunity to promote Irish business and exports, to deepen relationships with American multinational companies located in Ireland using Ireland as their EU base and to seduce others to do so to generate employment. Ireland’s Industrial Development Authority (IDA) annually participates in the trip to promote Ireland’s low corporate tax rate & other financial incentives available to American companies who establish businesses and/ or company headquarters in Ireland. In the political arena, it is viewed as an opportunity to celebrate long enduring Ireland/ US friendship and commonality of values and interests.

As 2025 commences the Irish government is greatly concerned about the possible impact on Irish exports should President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs become a reality. Equal concern relates to the domestic employment implications of possible impediments or incentives the Trump administration may create to discourage US companies locating in or expanding their business’s in Ireland and also to them headquartering their global profits there, as Ireland’s annual public expenditure is significantly leveraged by and dependent on tax income derived from US multinational’s corporate profits.

The White House St Patricks Day meet with the President is a taken for granted done deal in Ireland as it is assumed it generates kudos for a President with America’s estimated thirty one million voters who claim Irish ancestry. For a President in his second term, not seeking re-election, that is a largely irrelevant consideration. Moreover, where the Irish government is adopting stances or policies detrimental to American values or interests or hostile to America’s closest allies, there is little or no political benefit in St Patricks Day political........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)